The present invention relates to a hybrid compressor that compresses gas when power is transmitted from a vehicular drive source to the compressor via a power transmission mechanism, which is supported by a housing assembly, and that also compresses gas when an electric motor, which is incorporated in the power transmission mechanism, is actuated. Particularly, the present invention pertains to a wiring structure from an electric motor to the outside of a power transmission mechanism.
Recently, idling stop system is becoming widely used to improve the fuel economy. The idling stop system stops the engine when a vehicle is stopped at stoplights. A hybrid type compressor, which is equipped with an electric motor, is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-140757. The hybrid type compressor enables the air-conditioning of a passenger compartment while the engine is not running.
In the above publication, a power transmission mechanism is supported by a housing assembly of the compressor. The power transmission mechanism has a rotor, about which a belt from the engine is wound. Power is transmitted from the engine to the rotor by the belt, thereby actuating the compressor. An electric motor is incorporated in the power transmission mechanism for actuating the compressor when the engine is stopped.
However, in general, the electric motor is wired to the outside of the power transmission mechanism using a lead wire, which is flexible and does not maintain the shape. Thus, the handling of the lead wire is troublesome, which reduces the work efficiency. Also, a large space is required in the vicinity of the lead wire so that the lead wire does not interfere with a rotating portion of the power transmission mechanism. This increases the size of the power transmission mechanism, which results in the increase of the compressor size.
Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a wiring structure of a motor in a hybrid compressor that improves the work efficiency of the wiring procedure for the electric motor and reduces the space for motor wiring.
To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a wiring structure of an electric motor in a hybrid compressor. When power is transmitted from a vehicular drive source via a power transmission mechanism, the hybrid compressor compresses gas. When the electric motor incorporated in the power transmission mechanism is actuated, the hybrid compressor also compresses gas. The wiring structure includes a housing, a motor wiring component, and shape maintaining means. The housing supports the power transmission mechanism. The motor wiring component has a shape and extends from the electric motor to the outside of the power transmission mechanism and the housing. The shape maintaining means maintains the shape of the motor wiring component.
Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the invention.